James Brown - Faithful Sailor Boy
Lyrics as transcribed from this recording: Twas on a dark and stormy night as the snow lay on the ground, a sailor boy stood on the deck of a ship that was outward bound, his true love standing by his side shedding many s a bitter tear, he pressed her to his bosom and he whispered in her ear: Goodbye my own true love, wherefore this parting give me pain, you will be my hope and guiding star until I return again, my thoughts will be on you my love when storms are raging high, so fare you well, remember me your faithful sailor boy Twas in the gale that ship set sail, the lass was standing by, she watched the vessel out of sight until tears bedimmed her eye, and then she prayed to God in heaven to guide him o er the way, the loving words he spoke that night rang through her ears next day. Goodbbye my own true love, for this parting gives me pain, you will be my hope and guiding star until I return again, my thoughts will be on you my love when storms are raging high, so fare you well, remember me your faithful sailor boy But sad to say that ship returned without her sailor boy, for he had died whilst on the voyage, the flag was half-mast high, and as the sailors they cam eon shore and they told her he was dead, the letter that he wrote to her and the parting words they read: Goodbye my own true lover, for on earth we ll meet no more, but we will meet in Heaven above on that bright celestial shore, yes we will meet in heaven above beyond the skies so blue, where you ll not be parted from your sailor boy so true. This song is sung a cappella. The last two words of the song, so true , are spoken, not sung. The singer taps his foot noticeably throughout the song. This recording was transcribed by Manny and so the version of the lyrics given here is virtually identical to her published version. At 00:01 James Brown begins singing The Faithful Sailor Boy . 1958 Sources This song appears in Louise Manny and James Reginald Wilson eds. Songs of Miramichi Brunswick Press Fredericton, N.B. pg. 237. According to mainlynorfolk.info, the song has had a wide spread and popularity but is not particularly old: "The Faithful Sailor Boy was written by George W. Persley towards the end of the 19th century. Few songs have achieved such widespread popularity among country singers and their audiences. It turns up again and again in tap-room sing-songs throughout Britain, even through into the 1980s. Gavin Greig described it as being “Very popular in Aberdeenshire in the early years of this century” (and, sure enough, Daisy Chapman had it in her repertoire), and we have heard it in both Donegal and Cork in the last few years. Two versions have been found in the North Carolina mountains (there's a '20s hillbilly recording by Flora Noles, Sailor Boy's Farewell—Okeh 45037), while other other sets have been reported from as far away as Australia and Tristan da Cunha. Healy also prints this one, again without melody, and calls it Your Faithful Sailor Boy." Great information and comparison between recorded/transcribed versions here at Mainly Norfolk website. 009-02 Category:B Category:English language